Pervaz, Shahrior

Hazanat-E-Rabbi, Shahnewaz

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology .

Newaz, Kazi Md Shifun

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology .

2016 (English)Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)

Abstract [en]

Pedestrian accidents are a serious and growing problem in the cities of developing countries, especially in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Poor planning of road networks, poor traffic control and management at intersections, inadequate pedestrian facilities and the severe lack of priority and attention given to the pedestrians are the main causes of such dangerous situation. Particular concern is the urban intersections, specifically the signalized ones that have been identified as among the most hazardous locations on the roads which account for a substantial portion of traffic accidents (Helai, Chor & Haque, 2008). Study shows that out of more than thirty six hundred accidents in Dhaka city nearly 63% occurred at non-intersection areas whereas 37% at intersections from 2007-2014 in Dhaka metropolitan city (ARI, 2014). Pedestrian accidents (58%) dominated total accidents occurred during this period. The heterogeneity of traffic, inadequate crossing facilities, plying of modes with varying speed and maneuvering time make the intersections even more complex. Field study also indicates that nearly 65% of total intersections in Dhaka city have Pedestrian Traffic Signal (PTS) whereas nearly 15% have no pedestrian control devices. Due to the Ineffective PTS and faded crossing marking, pedestrian’s risk at intersections is increasing. This paper aims to provide a broad overview of pedestrian safety facilities at intersections in Dhaka city. Analyzing the survey data, it has attempted to shed some light on the major causes and factors of pedestrian accidents and also suggested appropriate safety measures to reduce the accidents and enhance crossing facilities at the intersections.